What is Adrian Newey’s worth in F1? Yes, he is a priceless asset for any team, but his services won’t come for free. Since his Red Bull exit, major teams like Ferrari, Aston Martin, and McLaren started a power race. This race was to get the aerodynamics genius into the team. But as time passed, only one name became prominent – Aston Martin. However, Ferrari looked like a good option too. But, it is probably the funds that are the barriers. Back in 2014, the Maranello-based wanted to poach Newey from Red Bull, with a $23 million yearly salary, however, that plan didn’t work.

This year, the design wizard is bereft of a team for the future. And of course, Ferrari dived in. It was heard that Fred Vasseur‘s team was willing to pay an insane $105 million for Newey’s services. The deal was pretty good. Adrian could’ve worked alongside Lewis Hamilton, but soon, a twist came into the story. Aston Martin boss Lawrence Stroll, who had previously offered $100 million, has now taken the game to a new level. Offering a whopping $125 million to Adrian Newey, it seems like a potentially done deal. Meanwhile, Ferrari has taken a back foot.

Fred Vasseur is losing all hopes to get Adrian Newey to work with Lewis Hamilton

BBC Sport’s Andrew Benson recently revealed that Adrian Newey had particularly mentioned Fernando Alonso’s name when he was asked about the driver he wished to work with. Although, he has expressed similar sentiments about Hamilton; Alonso’s name came up prominently. Adrian Newey’s departure from the Austrian team initially opened new doors for Ferrari, and now it is receding significantly. More importantly, Andrew Benson made a big revelation.

He said: “Sources close to Ferrari have told BBC Sport that CEO Benedetto Vigna has balked at the level of salary Newey commands and that there is a concern he would have too much power and could override the system inside the company.” That is big news! Ferrari seems to voluntarily leave the race to get Newey. This means the ground is empty and open for Aston Martin unless McLaren decides to compete.

Benson further stated: “Senior sources in the sport say that Newey is actively engaged with Aston Martin at the moment and that this is looking his most likely destination. McLaren remains another possibility.” Meanwhile, Newey is said not to have come to a decision. The 65-year-old maestro is currently enjoying his free time. With his final project, the RB17 hypercar launched, he is now free from his duties. Nevertheless, the questions prevail: Where will Adrian Newey go? When will he make the announcement?

Which is the best option for Adrian Newey right now, and why is it Aston Martin?

The Silverstone-based team seems to be in an attempt to revamp their squad. Their newest member is Ferrari’s recent exit – Enrico Cardile, former Technical Director of Chassis and Aerodynamics. And next year onwards, Honda is to supply power units to Aston Martin. Newey has worked with the Japanese manufacturers at Red Bull. Moreover, Aston Martin has been planning to bring in new state-of-the-art facilities with window tunnels, which is enticing enough for Adrian Newey. Looks like Aston Martin is playing its cards well. Moreover, Lawrence Stroll is capable of providing ample resources to the genius.

With the upcoming 2026 regulations, Newey’s presence in the team could be a real game-changer. Adrian Newey builds cars that make champions. In simpler terms – Adrian Newey is a champion-maker. Lance Stroll’s performance could be elevated with the help of Adrian Newey’s mastery. And maybe, the Brit’s design could get Fernando Alonso his third world championship. It is too much of a stretch, but one can’t go without thinking about the what-ifs.

However, with McLaren‘s presence in the game; it is just going to get more interesting. But the ultimate decision lies upon Adrian Newey himself. He hasn’t ruled out retirement ideas. This means it’ll either be a few more years in the sport or no more sport at all. And there is nothing in between the two extremes, so, hopefully, we can obtain some information by the end of the summer break.